As an off road driver and also as an off-road instructor, Stephen Blenkinsop our senior trainer was trained by LANTRA (Formerly the Agriculural Training Board, the people who train the farmers) in addition Stephen was employed as a Fire-fighter and Crash Tender driver at the Liverpool Airport Fire and Rescue Station. This gives him a wealth of knowledge and experience in off-roading and the associated winching and vehicle recovery. He was also invloved in setting up his first company Merseyside Towing Services in way back in 1976.
Not many owners of 4x4's realise that if you engage four wheel drive on tarmac, it can cause irrepairable damage to transmission systems of your brand new vehcle, so it imperative that even if you do not intend to go off-road a lot, you are aware of what your vehicle can, and cannot do.
Off road Course
This will cover both theory and practical sessions about the main principles of driving off road, or green laning as well as recognising a safe working environment, assessing suitable routes, preparing your vehicle before going off road and knowing its limitations, safely negotiate a vehicle in off road conditions using a variety of typical ground surface conditions, (slopes, mud, water and obstacles) have an understanding of the dangers surrounding vehicle recovery.
Winching and vehicle recovery
We will show the basics of vehicle recovery and how to get moving again, with theory and practical sessions on calculating recovery loads and stresses, equipment inspection and specifications, permutations of increasing effort to reduce loading and strain, safety aspects for personnel and the environment.
Trailer Towing
We can show you about the theory and practical aspects of licensing, correct combinations of vehicles and trailers, vehcile construction, legal requirements for towing, hitching and unhitching, using a trailer on the road, as well as preparation for the Driving Standards Agency category B+E, C+E driving tests.
